TEAM Fiji Paralympic taekwondo athlete Irene Mar’s journey in the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris has concluded. The 19-year-old missed out on a chance for a bronze medal after losing 12-6 to Kamilya Dosmalova from Kazakhstan in the women’s K44-57kg repechage held at the Grand Palais.
Mar started strong in the Games, achieving a notable victory against Ukrainian athlete Yuliya Lypetska, ranked seventh in the world, with a score of 25-3. However, she faced a setback in the quarter-finals, where she was defeated 29-5 by Turkey’s Gamze Gurdal. Despite this, she remained hopeful for a medal in the repechage but ultimately lost to the more experienced Dosmalova.
Irene Mar is one of three athletes representing Fiji at the Paralympics in Paris. She had the honor of being Team Fiji’s flagbearer during the opening ceremony. Next up for the team are Naibili Vatunisolo and Seni Seau, who will be competing in women’s shot put.